Overactive bladder and bladder prolapse

[Incoguto]

Hey all,

I have visited my gyno today and was diagnosed with bladder prolapse and OAB. I've read some information as to what causes them. Gyno said that hypothyroidism impacts muscles and ligaments in the pelvis too and low estrogen could cause issues too. Anybody here who knows that prolapse and OAB are signs of being hypo or hyper?

I am 40 yrs old, never had kids and I'm not here perimenopausal.

Thanks 😀

[Fizzyinch]

I have overactive bladder and notice it’s way worse a) before my period b) if I drink caffeine.

I also gave up a lot of sugar, alcohol and processed carbs, fruit juice last year and noticed my bladder symptoms improved a lot.

[Incoguto in reply to Fizzyinch]

Thank you Fizzy 😊 my diet is pretty clean, but the symptoms are definitely worse in the second part of cycle.OAB was ruled out by uro physio, but I have stage 1 bladder prolapse

[Apodemus]

I'm sure she suggested pelvic exercises. Definitely look at you diet and how much you lift.

[Incoguto in reply to Apodemus]

She did, my diet is pretty good, have no constipation, and I lift 8 and 12 kg kettlebells. Thank you Apodemus 😊

[arTistapple]

I have definitely noticed this but not read it anywhere. I developed it after delivering two (separately) ten pound babies (another symptom related to hypo). I had the dreaded ‘mesh’ job, 20 years ago, which touch wood, I have had no problems with. However when my TH are very low I get a problem which seems to right itself after I get back to a necessary ‘stable’ dose. Unfortunately other problems persist for me as I am not optimally treated.

I was very fit, did all the exercises and I could make a rude reference here about what the examining doctor said along the lines of powerful muscles. However at that time (and now) I think it’s more to do with inflexible, overstretched tendons (again due to hypo). Tendons go first leaving muscles to do a job they are not designed for. Elsewhere tendons are known to ‘thicken’ and become less flexible with hypo. Lower back and Achilles tendons are more acknowledged tendons under pressure from hypo.

Muscle and tendons improve for many hypo patients when they are properly medicated.

[Incoguto in reply to arTistapple]

Thank you arTistapple😊, I bet this is from being hypo for me too.Wow, I'm delighted to hear that mesh worked for you, because I've heard some horror stories.

May I ask what kind of symptoms comes back when you're hypo?

[arTistapple in reply to Incoguto]

Embarrassingly I can’t make it to the loo in time. Normally I am A-OK but when my meds are not right it’s like the op was never done.

I have experienced a good number of problems created or worsened by medics. The guy doing this op I think knew what he was doing. It worked virtually immediately. However I have one thought that I try not to consider too often. I am concerned that having a ‘foreign body’ in my body is contributing to high inflammatory markers. Lots of different procedures (especially cosmetic procedures) have been proven to do this for example. Anyway I am stuck with it and the fact that it works 99% of the time I am pleased with.

[tattybogle]

When i became slightly overmedicated on levo, , one of my many and varied symptoms was overactive bladder ... symptoms were possible match for Interstitial Cystitis ......felt a bit like cystitis but without the burning pain, felt like my bladder was always tense, and wasn't emptying fully , constant feeling of needing a wee , but nothing much there, no feeling of relief after..... kidney issues / UTI were checked for and ruled out.

the issue was resolved gradually over a few wks on slightly lower dose of levo.

(i seem to remember i was also worried i had a prolapse at the time i saw the GP about the problem... but there was no sign of this on examination).

[Jazzw in reply to tattybogle]

As someone who definitely has prolapses and therefore belongs to a few groups where we compare notes, I can tell you that the majority of GPs don’t know what they’re looking at when it comes to prolapse unless everything’s hanging out and they can’t miss it. They tend to be rubbish at spotting cystoceles and rectoceles and an awful lot of women end up being gaslit for years, being told there isn’t a problem and therefore not being referred.

[Incoguto in reply to tattybogle]

My ft3 is quite high and ft4 low, so maybe that a problem..I definitely pee more with higher t3 levels. My uro physio ruled out OAB, but I do have stage 1 bladder prolapse. Doing exercised since Friday. Thank you tatty 😊

[Jazzw]

As someone who definitely has prolapses and therefore belongs to a few groups where we compare notes, I can tell you that the majority of GPs don’t know what they’re looking at when it comes to prolapse unless everything’s hanging out and they can’t miss it. They tend to be rubbish at spotting cystoceles and rectoceles and an awful lot of women end up being gaslit for years, being told there isn’t a problem and therefore not being referred.

I think there probably is a link to hypothyroidism. There’s certainly a link—particularly with OAB—to lowering oestrogen (menopause is a b*tch). But in women who haven’t had children, it’s worth considering whether you have a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Because having hypothyroidism is definitely correlated with having EDS.

Your best bet is to try to get to see a pelvic physio. I had no idea there was such a speciality until earlier this year—and I wish to goodness I’d had a chance to see one a decade ago. If your doctor won’t refer you to one, consider seeing one privately (which is what I did). They’ll be able to give you a sense of what’s what, the severity etc and give you exercises, tips and techniques etc.

[Incoguto in reply to Jazzw]

Thank you Jazzw😊 my uro physio ruled out OAB, but I have stage 1 bladder prolapse. She said she sees it with women who never had a childbirth. I used to lift, maybe it is that. But I have a feeling it is related to being hypo. I looked at EDS, but don't have any other symptoms of it, specially no stretchy skin or hypermobility anywhere else. Pelvic physio is amazing, I went to see her on Friday, she have me a set of exercised I've been doing, check up in 3 weeks time.

Have you suffered from it yourself?

[Jazzw in reply to Incoguto]

I have stage 3 cystocele (with some degree of urethrocele) and rectocele but in a way it’s quite handy to have both types as they kind of hold each other up. Mine seems to have been childbirth related but I didn’t develop symptoms until 14 years after my son was born.

My pelvic floor physio has also been amazing. Really glad you’ve been able to see one.